Hindustan Unilever India (HUL) has highlighted a continued focus on its premium strategy in order to sustain continued growth in the country, citing products such as Horlicks Plus as a major example.
Malaysian palm oil is likely to gain an edge in terms of exports to the United Kingdom thanks to the latter obtaining membership into the CPTPP and new acknowledgement of the South East Asian nation’s sustainability standards.
Thailand is the latest market in South East Asia to implement new nutritional labelling policies for the food industry, with the authorities also issuing more stringent ‘science-based’ guidelines for on-pack health claims.
The Indonesian government is revising food packaging regulations in response to consumer and academic concerns over the presence of dangerous chemicals entering the food supply chain.
Vietnam has started to enforce its new nutrition labelling regulations, which will see some 40% of domestic manufacturers making on-pack changes over the next two years.
Nestle Singapore and upcycling specialist firm KosmodeHealth are looking at new product innovations with valorised ingredients in an effort to move forward with their award-winning upcycling collaboration.
Biofortification stands out among traditional fortification methods as a cost-effective and sustainable approach for combatting micronutrient deficiencies (MND), especially in countries with persistent undernutrition and food shortages, say researchers....
The cage-free egg sector in China has rapidly gained in popularity over the past year due to major support from both government and industry players as well as rising consumer demand.
Mumbai-headquartered ProV Foods is doubling down on healthy on-the-go snacks and flavour innovations, amid rising demand for snacks with functional benefits in the country.
Chinese dairy giant Yili believes that artificial intelligence (AI) in product innovation lies in formulation and efficiency improvements, but stresses it is no silver bullet to create good end-product results.
Brands in South Korea have been compelled to submit product nutritional information, which the government has used to update its national food database for processed goods.
The Smart Cube’s senior commodity specialist examines the fluctuating commodity market and how things are shaping up this year, as he warns oil, gold and sugar costs are set to rise.
Major Japanese brands Ajinomoto and Meiji have highlighted how efficient inventory management will be key to reduce food waste throughout their supply chains, as part of their commitment to the national Food Loss Reduction Declaration.
South Korea’s renewed expiration dates system for food and beverage items has been widely adopted by industry and achieved high consumer awareness, says the country’s regulator.
Thai natural fruit juice specialist Manee Manao is banking on the ongoing watermelon smoothie craze dubbed ‘tangmo-pun’ in South Korea to boost the success of its new frozen watermelon puree export business.
We take a closer look at five of the top trends that look set to shape the Asia Pacific food and beverage industry in 2024, from the newly-emerged ‘premium affordability’ to the evolution of plant-based protein, the rise of RTD beverages and more.
From the hotly-debated EU Deforestation Regulation to increasing governmental scrutiny over pre-packaged and processed food nutritional labelling and packaging, FoodNavigator-Asia brings you five of this year’s need-to-know regulatory updates for 2024.
South Korean plant-based food brand UNILMEAT has opened an online store specially catering to the US market to satisfy consumer demand following positive growth and sold-out launches.
As the Asia Pacific food and beverage steadily moves out of the shadow of the pandemic, geopolitical instability and inflationary pressures – we believe that these three emerging categories will come into their own in 2024.
The food and beverage sector will need to focus on making more ‘immediate’ changes beyond just creating a novel protein supply in order to address sustainability and overall supply chain challenges, according to industry experts.
Japan has set up a physical anti-counterfeit consultation desk in Thailand to fight against a rising number of food and agriculture products claiming to be of Japanese origin.
Targeted educational campaigns focused on the health risks associated with high salt intake could promote behavioural change among consumers in China, say researchers.
New Zealand kiwifruit industry leader Zespri believes that continued focus on health and wellness in the APAC region and beyond will propel the sector to even further heights, bolstered by the innovations it hopes to find via the launch of its new US$2mn...
Advancements in precision nutrition have elevated the reputation of salads made with hydroponic vegetables from poor to optimal, which in turn opens up many new doors in terms of personalised eating and food security, according to industry experts.
Artificial intelligence has been cited as a crucial component of efforts to transform APAC’s agrifood sector, but experts believe that this does not spell trouble for jobs in the long run.
The Japanese government is planning to commit approximately US$20mn into projects to expand the use of rice flour across more food product innovations in its latest initiative to improve local self-sufficiency and food security.
Tofu and beverage brand Vitasoy hopes the performance of its soy milk and tea businesses in Asian will help it bounce back from manufacturing and logistical challenges faced in Oceania over the past six months.
Middle Eastern food and beverage heavyweight Agthia has pledged to focus more investment into the digitalisation of its business as well as the creation of new snacking innovations in order to sustain the positive growth and profitability seen in the...
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has launched a new version of its food safety platform in the local Hindi language in an effort to increase domestic food firm understanding and compliance of local regulations.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s heavy reliance on grain imports as a source of dietary calories and protein poses major risks to food security and nutrition level among its populations, say researchers.
Affordability and accessibility are just as important as product innovation if food firms are going to help meets Asia’s nutritional needs, in a region that is still beset by childhood stunting and rising rates of obesity and diabetes.
Nestle India has launched a variety of new products focused on millets as a key ingredient this year, in an effort to increase consumer acceptance and awareness via familiar product formats while also aligning with the Indian government’s International...
New Japanese government data has revealed that the country could be close to achieving its goal of having 80% of the population simultaneously aware of, and taking action against, food waste.
PepsiCo has highlighted collaborations with entrepreneurs as a ‘vital’ part of its strategy to achieve sustainable operations in the APAC region, amid the crowning of its regional Greenhouse Accelerator champion.
World-first liquid shio koji brand Hanamaruki has big plans to ride on the growing umami and wellness trends in South East Asia, after seeing success in western and East Asian markets.
Grocery e-commerce platform giant RedMart is seeing health and sustainability trends increasingly driving the purchasing decisions of consumers in Singapore, inspiring the firm to focus its own in-house product innovations on these factors.
The South Korean government has set its sights on partnerships with the ministries of multiple Latin American countries to establish the region as its next major trade partner in terms of food exports.
A new cross-sector partnership aims to help millers produce adequately fortified staple foods in eight countries across Asia and Africa to tackle high rates of micronutrient deficiencies and malnutrition among these populations.
The nut butter industry in Asia Pacific is targeting pricing strategies and novel applications as it seeks to achieve mainstream success beyond being ‘just a spread’, according to industry experts.
Although efforts show progress on plastic pollution is possible, the world is ‘not on course’ to eliminating plastic waste and pollution, stresses the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Saudi Arabian F&B heavyweight Almarai has posted significant growth and profits in the first nine months of 2023 driven by stringent cost management and gains in the poultry category to offset Egyptian currency challenges.
Asia Pacific consumers are increasingly demanding a combination of affordability, health and tastiness when making their food and beverage purchasing decisions, driving the rise of what is known as the ‘and’ consumer.
Chinese 3D food printing firm MOODLES believes that this technology needs to be efficiently incorporated into the production of personalised nutrient-rich staple foods that consumers will eat on a daily basis if the sector wants to grow locally.
Nestle is hopeful that its new nutritional labelling and marketing strategy will play a strong part in its sales recovery, after seeing a drop in sales across many APAC markets due to ‘historic’ inflation and foreign exchange challenges.
The Chinese government has published guide for food firms trying to meet its new excessive packaging regulations, urging industry players to ensure they are fully compliant in the next six months.
Further research is needed to translate nutrient-based breakfast guidelines into more user-friendly, food-based recommendations that consumers can easily understand and implement in their daily lives, says a study conducted in Indonesia.
Food and beverage brands that are able to convey microlocal tastes and tap into consumer pride with a strong domestic production chain are best-placed for success in the APAC region, according to Kerry.
Consumer concerns over the rising price of seafood needs to be addressed by the industry before sustainability as a purchase driver play a bigger role.
Data from the large-scale Singapore Chinese Health Study has shown that all consumers can reduce their risk of later cognitive impairment by switching to a healthier diet at any age, as revealed by the study’s principal investigator at the recent Growth...
New Nestle data has revealed the major micronutrient gaps faced by many toddlers and school-age children in the Asia Pacific region, as well as the important role that fortified foods and beverages can play in addressing these needs.